A mountain goat overlooks the village of Axams, Austria. The mountain goat is an apt symbol for Capricorn's determined,ambitious nature. Photo By Svickova via Wikimedia Commons

New Moon @ 10 Capricorn 57'

Jan 1, 2013

6:14 AM Pacific

9:14 AM Eastern

This month’s new Moon just so happens to coincide with the first day of the Gregorian New Year. That’s an interesting coincidence, since our calendar has no connection to anything natural or astrological. The astrology seems to be telling us something important here. It seems to say that 2014 is a critical year, so pay attention.

The new Moon occurs in Capricorn, a cardinal earth sign. Cardinal signs are all about action and initiation. Earth signs help to consolidate, condense and practically actualize intentions, desires or goals. Once Capricorn has fixated on a certain position or ambition, there’s no stopping it.

Thus, the start of the year may give us all a sense of unstoppable determination to actualize our goals or to clarify who we are or what we stand for. If there was ever a year to set resolutions, this would be it. To make an even more impactful statement, this new Moon conjoins Pluto and Mercury, forming a grand cross with Uranus in Aries, Mars in Libra and Jupiter in Cancer. It's also a Supermoon*, a term coined by astrologer Richard Nolle to describe any lunation that occurs at the Moon's perigee, it's closest approach to the Earth.

That’s a whole lot of energy to deal with since the Moon's power is greatly expounded. There’s also a lot to be cautious and mindful about. There is a strong need to publicly define ourselves and to break free of a limiting social role that restricts authentic self-expression. Use this energy consciously and wisely to make a statement, but make sure this statement is a truly authentic representation of who you are.

Also, be mindful of intruding upon the boundaries of those in your life. While it’s important to be true to yourself, be mindful of the bigger picture, and how your actions affect everyone around you—the people you love and care about. Be on the lookout for shortened tempers and people who appear a little on edge; you don't want to be the one to set them off!

As we enter 2014, there is a clear message that big changes are needed and must take place this year. That's kind of the theme lately, isn't it? Stagnation and procrastination are best left at the door. That worn out persona you've been carrying around is clearly outdated. It’s time to step up and step into an entirely new role. This new Moon can help us all do that, as long as we have a plan and a clear intention.

The powerful tension that accompanies this lunation will naturally bring about resistance from others, specifically people closest and most important to us. But that tension is a powerful catalyst, and it helps us to more clearly define our motives and to get things going.

Mars in Libra squaring this new Moon foreshadows many elements that we are likely to encounter during its lengthy retrograde cycle beginning the first of March. With Mars in Libra, the battleground is relationships and the never ending fight to maintain peace and homeostasis against the chaos of the universe.

Pluto’s conjunction to this lunation gives a sense of immense power, which can boost confidence or appear as a daunting, overwhelming obstacle we must surmount. Mercury’s presence means that communication and an open mind will be our allies as long as we’re conscious of our shadow, lest it usurp us.

Be on the look-out for secret, occult or esoteric information that could drastically shape your outlook on life. There is a strong urge to uncover and communicate something taboo or merely concealed from everyone else; but be careful how you use this information, and don’t let it go to your head (and inflate your ego).

The pull into the future is a strong one, but the past has equal say in the matter. Mars in Libra opposite Uranus in Aries presents the challenge of the moment: finding that ideal balance between independence and mutual cooperation (i.e. conscious co-creation). There are a lot of needs that require acknowledgement and validation—the challenge is to give just the right amount of attention to all of them.

This powerful moment encourages us to dig deeply and express something very real to the world. This is a powerful catalytic lunation that offers plenty of fuel to truly make leaps and bounds. Whatever you decide to do with this energy, remain conscious of the world around you. As you take off full speed, just be mindful that the blazing trail behind you doesn't cause some kind of damage, or that you somehow unintentionally leave everyone else behind in the dust. *Supermoons can sometimes stir up anomalous earth changes, i.e. erratic weather patterns, earthquakes, etc. Just something to be mindful of as a possibility.